Canalboat Blanket Cal :: Part 6

Hello, and welcome to the middle of February and another week of glorious stripy colour. My Canalboat blanket has been in regular use during this cold winter week and has been living on the sofa along with...{quick count}...one, two, three, four, five...yes, five other crochet blankets, and three crochet cushions. In fact, I think this well used piece of furniture is more crochet than actual sofa, but that's the way I like it to be. I adore a blanket-laden sofa, it really is everything my heart desires when I walk into a room and want to feel instantly comforted and uplifted.

So, my friends, we have arrived at week six of the Canalboat CrochetALong and that means the last of the stripes. I am very familiar with the bitter-sweet mix of emotions which surround the end of a wonderful stripy journey and today I am feeling them all. I am so, so proud of this blanket and happy with the way my vision has come to life so beautifully and been shared and embraced by you all. I fastened off and darned in my last ends over the weekend and there.....it's done. Happy and sad. Thrilled and a bit lost. But of course we still have the adventure of the border and I'm really looking forward to that because I absolutely LoVe crocheting borders.

The final stripes at the very top of the blanket are bold ones, I decided to finish strong. I'll show you more photos in a bit, but you can see a glimpse of it in the above photo - I went for Bottle and Lipstick together. It's a pretty punchy combination, and I chose it in recognition of our local pleasure boats which hold a lot of fond memories from when my Little People were small.

There are actually two of these boats operating here on the canal, and they are named Sam and Leo. Pennine Cruisers is the company here in Skipton which owns a number of hire boats as well as operating skippered boat trips for visitors to enjoy a quick sail on the Leeds-Liverpool canal. When the boat is in action the bottle green canopy is rolled up so that the seating area is open - you can see more photos ((here)). Little B used to absolutely LOVE a trip on these boats when he was a small boy, and often times we would spontaneously jump on board and enjoy the short 30 minute journey if a boat happened to be ready to sail as we were passing. Happy Days.

The weather this week has been very cold and very grey, quite uninspiring I have to say. We are starting to see more movement on the canal now and yesterday I saw that two of my favourite boats were back in town. These two travel in tandem and moor up together - the one closest to the tow path is a craft workshop and shop which opens when the season is in full swing, and the owners live aboard the other twin boat. You can read more about them on their website ((https://www.celticfringecrafts.co.uk/))

Each boat has a traditional painted water jug on the roof ("Celtic Fringe" and "The Buthy") and last summer it was these jugs that inspired me to think about adding pinks and that lovely shade of Lime into my Canalboat colour palette. Up until seeing these jugs the Canalboat colour palette was quite dark and a little but moody, and I instinctively knew that it wasn't quite right.

As you can probably tell, when I'm working on my colour palettes it's a slow process and I spend many weeks/months observing and photographing and gathering visual inspiration. It's the heart of my design process and means that I am pretty much always seeking inspiration wherever I go. I can't imagine living any other way, as apparently it's not something I can switch off!

I've got some wonderful photos to share with you today, as during the crochet-along I find myself inspired all over again by the way you take my designs/colourways and make them your own. The "circle of inspiration" is alive and kicking and I could not love our online community more.

↑↑ you may remember I showed you Jo's blanket starting out way back at the beginning of the CAL, and now six weeks later she is ta-dah-ing! Jo made this blanket for her daughter and chose a cool palette of soft blues and greens with some pretty vintage-inspired neutrals for contrast. It's absolutely beautiful and very different to my loud boaty colours which demonstrates how versatile my stripe patterns are.

↑↑I also shared the beginning of Chris' blanket with you a few weeks back, and it's progressing so beautifully. I love the simplicity of traditional granny squares as they make the perfect vehicle for colour play and I'm really looking forward to seeing this particular Canalboat blanket come together. You can follow Chris on instagram to keep up with her progress {@krafty_kris3 }

↑↑I've been watching Jan's blanket grow over in the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group during the past month and I think you'll agree it's looking absolutely stunning. She's using the Harmony Granny Square pattern with the Canalboat colours, edging/joining them in white which makes the bright colours glow.

↑↑Now this is something VERY exciting, and I've been in awe of Kaz's idea right from the start, isn't it fabulous??! I was watching the photos emerge when the arms/front/back were taking shape but still in flat pieces, and honestly I was struggling to imagine what the jumper was going to look like. It was a real WOW moment when Kaz shared her Ta-dah moment with us all, I think she's really created something special. If you'd like to see her pattern notes, she has very kindly put them together for free...you can find them on her webshop ((https://ko-fi.com/insomniacrochet/shop))

↑↑ Anyone for bunting??? I'm sure most of you will end up with leftover yarn once your blankets are completed and making a string of jaunty bunting is the perfect stash buster. Tracey has done such a great job with this project and I fell in love with it instantly. She use the free pattern on my blog ((granny bunting tutorial)) and created a joining band using the canalboat stripe pattern which I think is SO clever.

↑↑ Lastly for today, I just had to share this adorable photo of Danielle's flouffy kitty helping the Canalboat rows along. She said 

"he seems to think he's in charge of tension control!" which honestly made me laugh out loud!

♥ Thank you once again for all the photos you continue to share on Facebook and Instagram during the CAL weeks, you make our online crochet community something very special indeed and I am so grateful xxx

Here in the Attic the final rows are now complete and the end of this colourful journey is near.

It's been six weeks of pure hooky heaven and I can honestly say I've enjoyed every single stitch.

My favourite pairing this week is the Fondant & Turquoise stripe, closely followed by Lipstick & Sage.

Sage is one of the colours that nearly didn't make the final selection, but during the summer months I did happen to see a good many boats arrive on the canal that were painted this colour. It's maybe not what you might immediately think of when you picture a canalboat, but it adds a welcome lightness to the colour palette which balances out the more dominant shades.

At the end of part six, you will have crocheted one hundred and eighty stripes of glorious colour.

Ohhhh.......yes, yes....I really think this blanket has reached SpeCtacUlaR status!!!

I'm ever so pleased with the overall harmony of these bold colours, they are strong and vibrant and I'm sure you'll agree there have been many, many surprises along the way! This isn't a subtle blanket (!) and some of the colour contrasts have been quite toe curling, but my bold choices paid off. I am beyond thrilled with it and I hope you are feeling similarly joyful about your own blanket.

This week with our Mixed Stripe Canalboat blanket we are crocheting the last of our stripes, with just another 19 to go to the finish line.

Stripes 162-180.

Here is Part 6 of the MIXED STRIPE for you to download/print this week , click on the following link >>

PART 6 MIXED STRIPE WORKSHEET PDF

NOTE ABOUT SIZE!!!!

Using the Stylecraft Special DK, after 180 rows my blanket is measuring 170cm. There will be a little extra length added in with the border, so we should end up with a 6ft length.

If your blanket is already long enough at the end of part five (or part way through part 6), PLEASE DO FEEL FREE TO STOP AT ANY TIME!!!

If you are using the Yarnsmiths Merino, remember that you need to stop when your blanket measure around 150cm long, to keep the proportions right with the slightly narrower width.

PLEASE NOTE - it doesn't matter if you're following the mixed stripe or the colourwash order, please make sure you stop when your blanket reaches the right length. That's 170cm (ish) for the Styecraft yarn, and 150cm (ish) for the Merino yarn. This should help keep the blanket proportions looking good, and make sure you don't run short of yarn.

The finished length/proportions of your blanket is more important than the number of stripes!

For double/king size blankets, you might wish to add some extra length, and I would suggest that you repeat the colours given for Part 1 to add an additional 30cm if you wish.

I mentioned on my blog last week that I hadn't seen many Colourwash blankets in progress in the online groups, so it's been lovely to finally see some photos pop up (thank you for sharing, it really does make me happy).

↑↑Kirsten shared her colourwash blanket doing a great job of keeping her cosy while she hooked up some rows...

↑↑...and Yola share her blanket looking absolutely glorious all spread out on her sofa.

At the end of part 6 this week, both versions of the Canalboat blanket will have the same 180 rows, and I thought it would be fun to share the graphics of them both side by side ↑↑don't they both look striking?

It always amazes me how the same fifteen colours can give a totally different finished look depending on how you arrange them.

So week 6 of the Colourwash is a repeat of week 2.

Stripes 153 - 180.

Here is Part 6 of the COLOURWASH for you to download/print this week, click on the following link >>

  PART 6 COLOURWASH WORKSHEET PDF

Next week we will be taking a little breather - this is you chance to catch up with your stripes if life has been busy or if you started out a little later. I would also urge you to get your ends neatly darned in if you haven't been doing them as we've gone along so that you'll be all ready for the border.

I thought it might be useful to show you my blanket edge - you can see that it's reasonably straight but inevitably it's a little bit uneven at the end of the rows. This is absolutely fine and the border will cover up a great deal of the lumpy-bumpyness so please don't worry too much.

During the next few weeks as you complete your stripes, it's a good idea to take stock of your yarn quantities in preparation for the border. I went to great effort to make sure that the fifteen colours were used pretty evenly and you should find that you have similar quantities left of each colour once your stripes are done. I find the easiest way to check is to weigh your yarn balls - you can use digital kitchen scales, or treat yourself to some small jewellers scales which are very accurate for weighing out grams. These small portable scales are a really nifty bit of kit and aren't very expensive - I bought mine from Amazon quite a few years ago and I'll link the exact ones I have ((HERE)). They are really useful when using up stash yarn or calculating small quantities for projects.

I weighed all my balls and have 35-40g of each colour left once my stripes were done.

BORDER INFORMATION

I've chosen eight colours for my Canalboat border and you can see them above (although the exact order of them might change)

Green : Royal : Lime : Fondant : Lipstick : Gold : Teal : Turquoise

I'm working quite narrow rounds, so estimate 16-20g of each colour is needed for the border.

You'll need more for the final edging round (I've chosen Turquoise for this), I estimate 20-25g.

As always, please feel free to choose your own colours - you should have enough yarn to use any combination of colours you like for the border.

The pattern/tutorial for the Canalboat border will be here on my blog in two weeks time, on Friday 28th February.

If you don't wish to wait, you can always choose one of my existing border patterns and get started doing your own thing, I'm more than happy for you to flex your creative muscles! Jo used the Spike Stitch border on her blue-toned blanket that I shared above, and I think the Linen Stitch border (designed for the Cupcake blanket) would also work a treat.

If you have any questions, please do leave me a comment and I'll answer as best as I can. I'll be creating some of my usual everyday blog posts during the next few weeks as I've missed sharing my normal stuff, so we can chat together next week...have a good weekend!

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♥ Part 6 Mixed Stripe worksheet

♥ Part 6 Colourwash worksheet

♥ Canalboat Pattern PDF

♥ Canalboat TUTORIAL (with lots of photos)

♥ CAL Introduction post

♥ Canalboat yarn packs

♥ CAL post Part 1 (stripes 1-33)

♥ CAL post Part 2 (stripes 34-65)

♥ CAL post Part 3 (stripes 66-97)

♥ CAL post Part 4 (stripes 98-129)

♥ CAL post Part 5 (stripes 130-161)

 

 

Comments

[Moira]

I have just finished part 6 of the canal CAL mixed stripe blanket. First time I have joined a CAL and have loved every moment. I love the colours, pattern, tips and Lucy’s generosity. So looking forward to the border tomorrow. Thank you so much Lucy from the bottom of my ❤️

[gina in alabama]

I am reading a book called Maiden's Trip by Emma Smith and its about the authors experiences during WW2 when she worked on a cargo-carrying canal boat as part of the Inland Waterways scheme to make up for all the men being at war. It has a lot of unfamiliar terms but I am more able to visualize what she's writing about thanks to your pics of today's canal boats which i suspect are quite similar to the earlier working boats except instead of carrying coal or steel from London the Birmingham and Coventry, they carry families living aboard or vacationers during summer. She writes about the difficulties of living aboard year round and having to keep to schedules while having to live in the crowded cabins. Thanks for your pics!

[Kate]

Loved the jumper. We call them sweaters in the states! Also love the bunting. I’m a knitter and a quilter, but would sure love to learn to crochet so I could join you in your beautiful projects. I really love the colors in the mandela.

[Smart One Tech]

Love the cozy Canalboat Blanket Cal! It's perfect for snuggling up on a chilly evening while watching a movie on my tablet with its crisp Digital SMD Screen. The blanket's colors and texture look so inviting - just what I need for a relaxing night in.
https://www.sot.com.pk/
https://smdscreens.com.pk/

[Marie Mills]

Lucy, I know you gave the total amount of stitches in the Canal Boat blanket. I cannot fine the post?
Sorry, could you please point me in the right direction?

[Carine]

Patricia, I know what you mean, because we had 2 kitties who were able to get to my wool no matter how good I put it away. Even my husband was involved in locking the wool away kitty-proof, with moderate succes.
Unfortunately, both left us far too soon and I just would offer gladly some (no not all 😉) of my wool to see their lovely faces again.

[Wendy]

Hi Lucy, I am really loving your canal blanket as I love all your blankets :) You brought back memories seeing the canal boats with canvas over... when I was a teenager we hired one with a driver and it was full of bunk beds with a basic camp kitchen, we spent a very happy week on the canals and I have loved them ever since. At that time, in the 70s, the boat still carried cargo during the winter but converted to a camping barge in the summer, happy memories :) Thank you so much x

[Laura]

I just LOVE your work...I´m knitting the size king, so I´m behind but just keep knitting!

[Patricia A]

Carine wouldn't like the feel of that chewed wool. It can be quite hard when dry. My youngest chewed some yarn when a bub and I had to cut it out to dispose of. She did a good job of making a mess.
I agree with Lucy. Gorgeous colours but definitely need to do a rearrangement of the colour order. Fondant should be near a blue. Hmm??!!
Lots of colour shuffling to be done there. :-)

[Cjishm]

wishing you a joyful Tu B'Shevat
A day to plant trees and appreciate nature.

Those who partake in a Tu B'Shevat seder will eat at least 15 different types of fruits and vegetables. It is also customary to include the seven species mentioned in the Torah: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.

Fun childhood days for all your little people... Great outdoor activities 🌳🌿🍀❤️🦕

Bordering is an essential and neat way for a blanket's ta.dahh moment

Happy breather week before finishing blanket.

[Sue Kilbey]

This has been my 1st attic24 cal/blanket I have loved the whole process. I chose to do the colourwash version.
I have finished week 5 and my blanket measures 170cm. If I do week 6 will there be enough wool to create the boarder please ? Or should I stop now at the end of week 5.
Thank you for creating such beautiful blankets and making us want to visit Skipton.

[Marisa]

Hello! Your projects look fantastic! I started my blanket last week so I am through 1,5 weeks and I am loving it soooooo much! Thanks very much for this wonderful CAL!

[Angela]

The Canalboat blanket is looking absolutely lovely 😍

[Marian Keall]

I am a beginner but am really enjoying this, though I'm quite far behind. Please could you estimate the grams needed for the merino border? Will it be slightly more than what you've given above (which I assume is for the acrylic)? I haven't started any of my 2nd balls of merino yet but I'm on row 75 and I'm getting close with a few colours especially olive green and burnt orange. Thank you from Altrincham xx

[Carine]

Ah... I just wish I had such a tension-control-Kitty.❤️

[Veronica Howard]

Just absolutely love the colours you have chosen for the border. Wow 🤩. Looking forward to seeing the fabulous border and doing it.
How many blankets have you done in this pattern?
Thank you so much for this wonderful CAL it’s been the first one I’ve actually joined in with.